Watch-case spring



(No Model.)

0. NOBS.

WATCH CASE SPRING.

No. 465,584. Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

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WQFMAF /rmm W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NOBS, OF NE\VARK, NE\V JERSEY.

WATCH-CASE SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 465,584, dated December 22, 1891 Application filed August 3, 1891. Serial No. 401,465. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Nons, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Case- Springs, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

The object of this invention is to furnish a cheap and effective means of holding the case-spring within a watch-case and making the toe or head of the spring self-adjusting in the slot of the case. Heretofore the casespring and the holder have been connected together in various ways; but my invention wholly obviates the necessity of any mechanical connection between the spring and the holder.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of awatch-case wit-h the holder and the spring required to lift and to catch the lid. Fig. 2 is a transverse section upon line 00 a: in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan of the case alone in section, where hatched, upon a level with the upper edge of the holder, with the case-spring and holder partly pressed into the groove in the case.

a is the case; b, the lid, and c the groove within the case in which the case-spring and holder is commonly secured. The liftingspring cl consists in a flat bar formed with toe e, projected through slot f in the side of the case. The catch-spring g is formed with head h, projected through slot 1' in a similar manner. In my invention the springs may be made separate, as shown in Fig. 1, or all in a single piece, as shown in Fig. 3, and are titted into the bottom of the groove 0.

The holder consists, merely, in a segmental block adapted to fit in the groove 0 over the inner face of the spring or springs and to hold the same against the bottom of the groove. The holder is secured in the case, when adjusted, by a screw Z.

The lifting and catch-springs, when made either in one or two pieces, are bent with greater radius than the groove in the case, as indicated in Fig. 8, so as to slightly resist the introduction of the holder into its normal position, (shown in Fig. 1,) the holder and spring being shown in Fig. 3, as when first inserted in the case and before they are pressed into the groove by the finger to insert the screw Z. The holder when pushed into its normal position presses upon the inner face of the spring to bend it still farther into conformity with the bottom of the groove, and such pressure and the slight bendingof the spring or springs suliices to hold the springs in their operative position while it does not clamp them positively. Each spring, when it is made sepa rate, is thus adjustable endwise and is instantly set in its desired position by fitting the offset constituting the head or toe of the spring into the proper slot fort and then securing the holder in the case, as described. lVhile such self-adjustment is effected by forming the springs separately, as shown at d and g in Fig. 1, and is claimed hereinin the combination of the separate springs and separate holder, such separate construction is not essential to the operation of the holder, as the two springs may be made in a single bar and secured by the same holder, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is obvious that my improved means for holding the case-springs possesses great simplicity and cheapness, as the holder itself requires no finishing nor any accurate fitting to the spring, nor does it require to be grooved or slotted in any manner to receive the spring; but consists in apiece of metal bent into suitable shape to fit within the groove 0 over the spring and having a smooth cylindrical convex face opposed to the latter. Vhen the lifting and case springs are made in one bar, as shown in Fig. 3, the maker must of course form the bar of suitable length to set the head and toe in the required slots; but the holder performs the same function in this construction in retaining the spring in its operative position within the groove 0 without any positive connection thereto.

By making the springs separate, as shown in Fig. 1, they may be manufactured and sold in quantities, and may be fitted to cases differing somewhat in dimensions without altering the spring or securing the holder in the case in any special manner, as the head or toe of the spring is by my construction adjustable to the slot independently of the holder or of the means used for securing the holder in the case.

I am aware of the state of the art as disclosed by Patents Nos. 160,368 and 250,323; but my invention differs from the devices shown therein in comprising a Hat spring fitted to thebottom of the annular groove in the inner periphery of the case and in requiring no means applied to the spring for preventing its displacement endwise. I hereby disclaim the constructions set forth in the said patents and all other prior constructions, limiting myself to that specifically shown, described, and claimed herein.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination, with the watch-case a, having the peripheral groove 0, of the flat spring provided with suitable offset for engagement with the lid 1) and fitted to the bottom of the groove and the segmental holder is, having smooth cylindrical convex face and 20 secured laterally within the groove 0 by the screw Z to confine the spring movably therein, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the watch-case a, having the groove 0 in its inner periphery, of the separate flat case-springs d and g, provided with suitable offsets for engagement with the lid 1) and fitted to the bottom of the groove, and the single segmental holder 70, having smooth cylindrical convex face and secured laterally within the groove 0 by the screw Zto confine the springs movably therein, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES NOBS.

*itnesses:

THOMAS S. CRANE, L. LEE. 

